2025 Core Forum

2025 Core Forum
The Core Forum will take place November 12-14, 2025, in Denver, Colorado! Forum features pre-conference workshops, tours, thought-provoking presentations, keynote speakers, poster presentations, and social events. An unconference space also allows for informal conversations throughout the event, including ad hoc, birds-of-a-feather discussions.
 
Please sign in to your ALA account to start the registration process and see pricing. If you do not have an ALA account, please visit us here or click "Create a new account" to the right. 

For more information about Core Forum 2025, please visit: http://coreforum.org/
 
 
When
11/12/2025 9:00 AM - 11/14/2025 5:00 PM
Where
Hilton Denver City Center 1701 California Street Denver, CO 80202 UNITED STATES

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Program

   

1. Preconference

Description
What does it mean for a library to embed anti-racism practices into program design and daily decision-making processes? Leaning into values of inclusivity, many libraries around the country have been committing themselves to a comprehensive anti-racism process guided by human-centered service design, racial equity frameworks, and stakeholder engagement to center communities of color. This dynamic and highly participatory workshop will introduce participants to human-centered design tools to create equitable solutions to systemic challenges by evolving programs and services.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

What does it mean for a library to embed anti-racism practices into program design and daily decision-making processes? Leaning into values of inclusivity, many libraries around the country have been committing themselves to a comprehensive anti-racism process guided by human-centered service design, racial equity frameworks, and stakeholder engagement to center communities of color. This dynamic and highly participatory workshop will introduce participants to human-centered design tools to create equitable solutions to systemic challenges by evolving programs and services.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

Leaders occupy all roles and all spaces within our library organizations irrespective of position titles and official “management” responsibilities. Differences in identities, dispositions, life experiences, and areas of library work often lead to tension in the workplace and create barriers to team building. Strong teams begin with identifying our individual assets and connecting them to the other members of our team. This workshop speaks to all library leaders, in all different roles, and in all sizes and types of organizations. The goal of this workshop is to build bridges over steep interpersonal, cultural, and service area chasms, learn about our team members and identify their strengths to leverage them.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

Leaders occupy all roles and all spaces within our library organizations irrespective of position titles and official “management” responsibilities. Differences in identities, dispositions, life experiences, and areas of library work often lead to tension in the workplace and create barriers to team building. Strong teams begin with identifying our individual assets and connecting them to the other members of our team. This workshop speaks to all library leaders, in all different roles, and in all sizes and types of organizations. The goal of this workshop is to build bridges over steep interpersonal, cultural, and service area chasms, learn about our team members and identify their strengths to leverage them.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

This preconference teaches foundational negotiation theory and practice for newcomers to negotiating with vendors and various stakeholders. Experienced negotiators will gain fresh ideas and strategies for success. Grounded in the multidisciplinary literature of negotiation, the instructor will communicate key concepts as well as practical techniques and real-world situations: how to tailor your negotiation strategies to the vendor or the type of product or service, how to leverage data to make your case, craft persuasive arguments, determine your priorities, master your own negotiating styles and strengths/weaknesses, and think creatively to overcome stalemates and achieve win-win-win outcomes.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

This preconference teaches foundational negotiation theory and practice for newcomers to negotiating with vendors and various stakeholders. Experienced negotiators will gain fresh ideas and strategies for success. Grounded in the multidisciplinary literature of negotiation, the instructor will communicate key concepts as well as practical techniques and real-world situations: how to tailor your negotiation strategies to the vendor or the type of product or service, how to leverage data to make your case, craft persuasive arguments, determine your priorities, master your own negotiating styles and strengths/weaknesses, and think creatively to overcome stalemates and achieve win-win-win outcomes.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

Does your institution have a collections disaster plan? If so, are staff trained to implement the plan? Whether dealing with a small leak or a large-scale emergency, an updated plan ensures your institution is ready to react quickly and mitigate collections damage. Whether your library is just starting the planning process or you’re ready to revise your plan, this session will break the emergency management process down into manageable chunks. Attendees will learn how to assess the unique risks at their institution, the essential components of a disaster plan, and tips for training staff to implement the plan.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

Does your institution have a collections disaster plan? If so, are staff trained to implement the plan? Whether dealing with a small leak or a large-scale emergency, an updated plan ensures your institution is ready to react quickly and mitigate collections damage. Whether your library is just starting the planning process or you’re ready to revise your plan, this session will break the emergency management process down into manageable chunks. Attendees will learn how to assess the unique risks at their institution, the essential components of a disaster plan, and tips for training staff to implement the plan.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

Please bring a laptop. Looking for a sustainable, metadata-driven approach to building digital collections and exhibits? This hands-on workshop introduces CollectionBuilder (https://collectionbuilder.github.io/), an open-source code framework that enables librarians and information professionals to create visually rich, accessible digital collections using just a spreadsheet, digital media files, and minimal setup. Built on static web technology, CollectionBuilder simplifies hosting and long-term maintenance for digital collections while offering powerful features like maps, timelines, and word clouds. Its infrastructure supports projects that foster broad community engagement, generating public-facing outcomes such as grassroots archives, educational resources, and community workshops.
Category
1. Preconference
Time
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 12:00 PM

2. Reception

Description
Please join us and your colleagues for opening remarks, snacks and drinks to kick off the 2025 Core Forum.
Category
2. Reception
Time
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
11/12/2025 5:00 PM

Did you know Core was established September 1, 2020?  Please join us to celebrate Core's 5-year anniversary at the Core Forum this fall!
Category
2. Reception
Time
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
11/13/2025 5:00 PM

3. Tours

Description
For more information, please click into the event title.
Category
3. Tours
Time
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 9:00 AM

For more information, please click into the event title.
Category
3. Tours
Time
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
11/12/2025 9:00 AM

4. Core Scholarship Fund

Description
Category
4. Core Scholarship Fund
Time
11/12/2025 9:00 AM - 11/14/2025 5:00 PM
11/12/2025 9:00 AM

Category
4. Core Scholarship Fund
Time
11/12/2025 9:00 AM - 11/14/2025 5:00 PM
11/12/2025 9:00 AM

Category
4. Core Scholarship Fund
Time
11/12/2025 9:00 AM - 11/14/2025 5:00 PM
11/12/2025 9:00 AM

Category
4. Core Scholarship Fund
Time
11/12/2025 9:00 AM - 11/14/2025 5:00 PM
11/12/2025 9:00 AM

5. Exhibitors

Description
Exhibitor Table Top Purchase
Category
5. Exhibitors
Time
11/12/2025 9:00 AM - 11/14/2025 5:00 PM
11/12/2025 9:00 AM